Howard Johnson Hotel Yorkville

Older hotel in Toronto-Yorkville area with free Wi-Fi & free breakfast but many complaints

Pros

Free Wi-Fi, free continental breakfast

Numerous guests were pleased with the level of customer service they received

Guests typically thought the hotel was in a good location, close to shopping, dining and public transit

Many guests liked the price point of this hotel

Cons

Parking is $28.25 per night including tax and there are limited spaces available

Many guests complained of dirty conditions at the hotel

Many guests said the hotel was in dire need of renovation

Several guests did not like the free breakfast saying the bread items were stale

Guests provided mixed reviews of the rooms

Bed bugs were cited by a couple of reviewers, one in 2014 and one in 2015

Freebies

Free Wi-Fi

Free Breakfast

Rooms

Adults

Kids

Kids' Ages

Editor's Analysis

Updated May 29, 2015

Overview

Located about a 4-minute drive from Toronto's city centre and a 7-minute walk from St. George Metro Station, Howard Johnson Hotel Downtown Toronto - Yorkville appeals to travellers who prefer a cheaper, centrally located hotel with a free breakfast and easy access to public transit.

Each of this smoke-free and pet-free hotel's guest rooms comes equipped with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, an in-room safe, an iron and ironing board and a hair dryer. The hotel is not wheelchair accessible.

Hotel amenities include an elevator, fitness room, meeting space, a business centre, free coffee in the lobby, laundry services and a free continental breakfast. Parking, both underground (off-site) and surface parking (behind building) is available for $28.25 per night (including tax).

The University of Toronto - St. George Campus is about an 8-minute walk from the hotel, while The Eaton Centre offers shopping 5 minutes away by car. The CN Tower is roughly a 6-minute drive away and Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) is a 25-minute drive away. (All travel time estimates: Google Maps)

The reviews read for this report were of mixed opinion, but guests showed positive responses to the location of this hotel, the staff and the room price.

Guests typically found the staff friendly and helpful at the hotel and many noted the lower room price which had attracted them to this hotel.

Many lodgers were pleased with the hotel's location. They described it as central and close to downtown, public transit, restaurants, shopping, museums, galleries, the Royal Ontario Museum and the airport.

Many guests felt that the hotel was not cleaned or maintained properly. One guest described the elevator as being on its last legs, creaking and groaning, and another said the floor numbers were worn off the buttons and that there was a layer of grime over everything. Holes in the walls were patched with wallpaper.

The hotel's free breakfast was a disappointment to a many guests. They described it as stale, limited and unsatisfactory, with no hot items. Many described it as a joke.

A few patrons complained about the hotel's parking, which they described as awkward to get to, with very limited spaces and expensive at $25 per night (before tax).